The Space Around Us

Project aims:

- To engage children with low science capital and help them understand and get to grips with how scientists explore space through the use of big telescopes. - To encourage children to be interested in pursuing a career in STEM and Space Science.

- To encourage children to think about the relevance of space exploration and its contribution to the enhancement of society.

- To allow children to understand the work and cause of the STFC and how this relates to the aerospace industry and educational opportunities.

- To allow an STFC researcher from the University of Bristol to develop their public engagement skills and inspire young people to follow in their footsteps!

- To adapt our learning programme in light of a global pandemic by developing remote learning, to allow us to continue engaging children in STEM learning whilst exploring new ways of earning income for the museum outside of this project.

Overall impact: C. 1400 schoolchildren from deprived backgrounds will have a greater understanding of the reasons and scientific concepts behind space exploration and Big Telescopes, and be excited and inspired by the subject. The project will broaden engagement with an STFC funded area of science and allow a researcher from the University of Bristol to improve their own public engagement skills whilst sharing their work to inspire a new audience and generation.